Cars Made In Britain | AA Cars made in Britain Supporting UK manufacturing Car models to consider if you want to buy British Our automotive industry turned over more than £71 billion in 2015 and employs more than 800,000 people including 169,000 directly in manufacturing. There's very strong foreign demand for British-built cars: More than 1.6 million cars were produced here in the first 11 months of 2016 Almost four fifths (78%) was exported UK car manufacturing output in November 2016 was higher than at any time since 1999 More than half of exports were to the European Union More than 2 million engines were produced in the UK More than 70 different models are built in the UK by more than 30 manufacturers.

British owned Mclaren Automotive (570S, 540C, 570GT, 650S, 675LT and P1) Made in Britain MINI – MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Countryman, in Cowley, Oxford Honda – Civic and CR-V in Swindon Toyota – Auris, Auris hybrid and Avensis in Burnaston, Derbyshire Nissan – Juke, Qashqai, Note and Leaf and Infiniti Q30 in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Lotus – Elise, Evora and Exige in Norfolk Aston Martin – DB9, Vantage, Rapide, Vanquish, and DB11 in Gaydon, Warwickshire Bentley Motors – Continental, Flying Spur and Mulsanne in Crewe, Cheshire Rolls Royce – Ghost and Wraith in Goodwood, West Sussex Jaguar – F-Pace and XE in Solihull, and F-type, XJ, XF and XE in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham Land Rover – Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque in Halewood, Merseyside, and Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Defender in Solihull, West Midlands Vauxhall

 – Astra at Ellesmere Port and Vivaro van in Luton Ford stopped building cars in the UK in 2002 and vans (Transits) in July 2013 but continues to manufacture engines in Bridgend and Dagenham and transmissions in Halewood.

11 January 2017 Car History 4U - History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers 8.7 Great Britain (UK) 8.7.1. Aston Martin The company was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford and the first car to bear the name was ready by 1915. After encountering financial difficulties during 1924/5 the company was sold in 1926 and renamed “Aston Martin Motors”. Seven years later, in 1933, the company changed ownership again. Up to the start of World War 2, in 1939, about 700 Aston Martin cars had been produced. In 1947 the company was purchased by David Brown Limited, who also acquired the Lagonda car company the same year. The DB range of cars started in 1948 with the 2-Litre Sports DB1. This was followed by the 2,580 cc DB2 (1950-53) and the racing model DB3 in 1957.

The 240 hp (179 kW) 3,670 cc DB4 was first produced in 1958; a car with a top speed of 140 mph (224 kph). By 1963, when production of the DB4 ceased, 1,110 had been made (from 1962 70 were convertibles). 100 short wheelbase DB4 GT/Zagoto models were also built. The lightweight DB4 GT version was introduced in 1959. 75 of these cars, which had a top speed of 153 mph (240 kph), were built. Is 75 correct? In 1961 the company launched the DB4 Vantage model. The 266 hp (198 kW) car was fitted with three SU carburettors. 136 saloons and 32 convertibles were built. Between 1961 and 1963 19 DB4 GT Zagato models were produced, the bodies of which were built by Zagato in Italy.

The 3,995 cc DB 5 model was produced from 1963 to 1965. The 282 hp (210 kW) version, which was fitted with three SU carburettors, had a top speed of 141 mph (226 kph). In 1964 the company produced the high performance, 314 hp (234 kW), DB5 Vantage coupe model. 65 were built. A total of 1,024 DB5 models were produced; 901 two-door coupes and 123 convertibles. A figure of 1,063 has also been quoted. Which is correct? 19 of the convertibles were left-hand drive. 12 special estate car versions were also built. A DB5 car was used in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger (Ian Fleming’s book featured a DB Mark III). 1,567 DB6 models were produced from 1965 to 1970.

The 325 hp (242 kW) 3,996 cc car had a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph). It accelerated from 0-60 mph (96 kph) in 8.4 seconds. A Mark 2 version was launched in 1969. Having been sold in 1972 to a British consortium, the company was bought in 1975 by two American businessmen, who produced the V8 Vantage in 1977 and the the convertible Volante in 1978. Between the early 1980s and 1987 the company changed ownership three more times until the Ford Motor Company initially purchased 75% of the company (gaining full control in 1993). Between 1968 and 1988 approx. 5,000 Aston Martin cars were made. In 1993 the company announced the DB7. In 2002, when production reached 6,000, the DB7 became the top selling DB model.

The DB9 coupe was introduced in 2003, followed by a convertible version the following year. In March 2007 the Ford Motor Company sold Aston Martin to a British consortium led by David Richards. 8.7.2. Austin The Austin Motor Company was founded in 1905 by Herbert Austin, becoming a private limited company in 1908. In 1906 the company produced a large 5 litre family sized model, the first of about 8 different models that were produced in this first decade. In its first year the company produced 23 cars. By 1917 the company’s factory at Longbridge was the largest of its type in Great Britain. The first model introduced after the end of World War 1 was the Austin 20 in 1919. In 1922 a scaled down version, the Austin 12, was produced. Another model introduced in 1922 was the Austin 7, which remained in production until 1939 by which time over 375,000 had been made. It was also being built in Germany, U.S.A and France.

In the early 1930s it was the most popular car in the world. The car had a 747 cc engine and a top speed of 42 mph (67 kph). The first cars produced after World War 2 were based on pre-war designs. These were the Austin 8, 10, 12 & 16 models. The 1,200 cc Austin A40 was the company’s first post war designed car and was produced between 1947 and 1951. By 1952 Austin had produced some 28 different models since it started production in 1906 and two million cars. In 1952 the company merged with Morris Motors to form the British Motor Corporation (which was taken over in 1968 and renamed the British Leyland Motor Company). Whilst part of British Leyland the Austin-Healey 100 (1953-56), Sprite (1958-70) and 3000 (1959-67) sports cars were manufactured.

In 1959 the Austin Mini was introduced and 5,387,862 were produced by the year 2000. These cars had an 848 or 1,275 cc 4-cylinder transverse engine and a top speed of 72 or 96 mph (115/154 kph), dependent on which engine was fitted. Between 1952 and 1989, when the last car to carry the Austin name was built, about 14 new models were introduced, including the Austin A30, A40, A60 Cambridge, 1100/1300, 1800, Maxi, Allegro and Metro. 8.7.3. Bentley The Bentley Motor Company was founded in 1918 by two brothers; Walter and H Bentley. Most of the early models were very successful racing cars, one of the most famous being the 3.0 litre Bentley, which had a top speed of 80 mph (128 kph).

It won the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1924, with other models winning from 1927 to 1930. Between 1921 and 1927 the company produced 1,633 of these 3 litre cars. The Company was seriously affected by the 1929 stock market crash, having just launched its ultra-luxury 8-litre model and only 100 were made. After producing just over 3,000 cars the company was bought by Rolls-Royce in 1931. The first model produced after the end of World War 2 bearing the Bentley name was the 4.3 litre Mark Vl (1946-52), with a convertible version introduced in 1951. In 1952 the R Type was introduced and 2,320 of these 4,566 cc cars were made. The 4,887 cc Continental version was produced for the European market; the first Bentley car to carry the Continental name, and 207 were made by 1955.

The S2 Type was produced between 1959 and 1962, followed by the S3 (1962-65), the T1 (1965-77), and the T2 (1977-81). 2007 Models include the Brooklands, Arnage, Azure and Continental. 8.7.4. Jaguar In 1932 the Swallow Sidecar Company produced its first car; the two-door SS 1. In the mid 1930s the company produced the Jaguar SS100, the first car to carry the Jaguar name. Just over 300 of these 2.5 and 3.5 litre cars were made. Immediately after World War 2 the company changed its name to Jaguar Cars Limited due to the link between the initials “SS” and Nazi Germany. The first cars bearing solely the Jaguar name were the pre-war designed 1.5/2.5/3.5 litre models that were produced from 1945 to 1948. The Mark V, produced in 1948, was the first post war designed model.

Shortly afterwards the company launched the XK120. This was followed by the XK140 in 1954 and the XK150 in 1957. About 72,500 E-Type Jaguars were produced between 1961 and 1973. The car had a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds. In 1968 the top selling XJ6 entered service and by 1979 over 155,000 had been made. After various mergers during the 1960s and then nationalisation, the company became a separate company again in 1984. Five years later it was acquired by the Ford Motor Company. Other models produced between 1950 and 1980 include the S Type, 240, 420, Mk 1, Mk 2 (over 90,000 produced), Mk V11/Vlll/lX and the XJ12.

Models produced since 1980 include the XJS 5.3, XK8 and XJ8. The 2007 range includes the XK, XJ, and XF range, the S Types and the X Types. 8.7.5. Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Limited was formed in 1906 by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. In 1904 an agreement had been reached that C S Rolls & Co would sell only cars manufactured by Royce Limited and that the cars would bear the name “Rolls-Royce”. Between 1904 and the start of World War 2 in 1939 about 22,200 cars were produced. In 1907 the company launched the six-cylinder Silver Ghost, selling 6,173 by 1925. Between 1906 and 1972 the company produced some 20 different models, including the Phantom, Wraith, Silver Wraith, Silver Dawn and Silver Shadow range. In 1971 Rolls-Royce Limited was nationalised by the British Government when it encountered serious financial problems.

Two years later, in 1973, it was de-nationalised with the formation of “Rolls-Royce Motors” and “Rolls-Royce Limited” (aero-engine business). In 1975 “Rolls-Royce Motors” launched the Camargue, production of which ceased in 1986. “Rolls Royce Motors” was acquired by the British company Vickers in 1980 and then, in 1998, by Volkswagen. The rights to the Rolls-Royce name and logo were, however, licensed to BMW and “Rolls-Royce Motors” were only allowed to use the name and logo until 1 January 2003. In 2002 the Volkswagen owned “Rolls-Royce Motors” ceased production of their Corniche model. In January 2003 BMW’s subsidiary “Rolls-Royce Motor Cars” launched their Phantom model. 8.7.6. MG The MG letters are derived from the initials of Morris Garages Ltd, which was a distributor for Morris Cars Ltd from 1913 until the late 1920s.

In 1922 Cecil Kimber became General Manager of Morris Garages and in 1923 he started to produce customised Morris cars. These “specials” became known as “Morris Garage Chummys”. Within a year, possibly initially along with the Morris badge, the distinctive octagon MG badge started to appear. The 1924 14/28 MG Super Sports Morris is considered by many to be the first car fitted with the MG badge (fitted on the car’s running boards). 440 were built between 1924 and 1927. This 1,802 cc model, which had a top speed of 65 mph (104 kph), consisted of a new sports body fitted to a Morris Oxford chassis. Just before Cecil Kimber’s death in 1945 he referred to a car called “Old Number One” (FC 7900) as the “first M.G. car I ever built.” The MG badge was fitted on the side of the car. The car had a 1,496 cc Hotchkiss four-cylinder engine and produced about 38 bhp.

The car was registered in March 1925, just prior to the competitive event for which it was built. In 1927 Morris Garages introduced the MG 14/40 model. This was followed in 1928 by the MG 18/80, a car considered to be the first purpose built MG. In addition to its specially designed chassis, the Morris type bullnose radiator was replaced on this model with the now traditional MG grille. In 1929 MG cars produced M-Type Midget, the first in a long line of “Midget” sports cars models. 1930s Company records are said to indicate that the M.G. Car Company Ltd (Reg # 249645) was formed in 1930. In what month? In that year MG built about 1,000 cars. The first car produced in 1930 by the newly formed Company was the MG 18/100 “Tigress” racing car. Two further racing cars were produced in the 1930s, the Q-Type in 1934 and the R-Type in 1935.

In 1935 the M.G. Car Company was sold to Morris Motors Ltd. Up to the start of World War 2 in 1939 the company produced more than 10 different sports models, a small salon car, the MG KN (1933-34), another medium sized car, the MG VA (1937-39) and the two larger salon cars, the MG SA (1936-39) and the WA (1938-39). 1940s The first car produced after World War 2 was the 1,250 cc MG TC Midget, a sports car that had a top speed of 78 mph (125 kph). Between 1945 and 1949 over 10,000 were built. In 1947 MG introduced the YA Type, a medium sized saloon car that had been developed by late 1939. Nearly 6,200 of these cars were built up to 1951.

1950s During the 1950s MG also produced 3 models of the TD Midegt (1950-53); a total of 29,566 + 98 in 1949, the TF Midget (1953-55); a total of 9,600 (including 3,400 1,466 cc models), the 1,488 cc MGA (1955-62); a total of 101,081 and three Magnette models, the ZA, ZB & Mk lll (1953-61). 1960s Between 1961 and 1968 the company produced the Mk lV Magnette. The 1,798 cc MGB was produced from 1962 to 1980, a car with a top speed of 105 mph (168 kph). Including a GT version, over 500,000 of these cars were built.

In 1975 an MGB became the one millionth MG car. In 1962 the company also started production of their MG 1100 model, with nearly 117,000 being built by 1967. MG also produced the 1300 model from 1967 to 1973. Other Models Other models produced up to 2007 include the MG Midget, MGC, RV8, MGF & TF, Maestro, Montego, Metro, MG ZR, ZS & ZT, MG 3, MG 7 and the MG XPower SV.

Ownership Between 1935 and 2007 t MG has been owned by Morris Motors & the Nuffield Organistion (1935-52), BMC (1952-68), BLMC (1968-86), Rover Group (1986-88), BAe (1988-94), BMW (1994-2000), the MG Rover Group (2000-05) and the Nanjing Automobile Group of China since 2005. 8.7.7. Morris William Richard Morris formed WRM Motors in 1912 and by 1913 he had produced his first car, the 1018 cc two-seater Morris Oxford (Bullnose). By the end of 1914, including a coupe version, over 1300 of these cars had been built. In 1915 the company introduced a larger car, the 1.5 litre 4-seater Morris Cowley.

Between 1915 and 1917 just over 1,140 Morris Cowley and Oxford cars were produced. In 1919 WRM Motors ceased trading and Morris Motors Ltd was established. In 1926, just before the renowned “Bullnose” radiator was replaced by a flat one, the Cowley and Oxford models accounted for over 40% of all British car production. Production of these first two models ceased in the mid 1930s. In 1928 the company produced the first in a range of Morris Minor models. Between 1928 and 1933 over 86,000 of these 847 cc cars were built. The model was replaced by the Morris Eight. Production of the Morris 8 (hp) started in 1935, with the 100,000th being delivered on 30 June 1936. Within 3 years nearly 220,000 were built, including the updated Series 1, Series 2 and Series E.

A wide range of other models were produced during the 1930s, including the 1,938 and 2,062 cc Oxford Six (1929-33), the Isis (1930-35), the 16 & 20 models, with over 6,300 produced (1934-35), the 14/16/18 range (1935-39), the Morris 10 (1933-48) and the Morris 8 (1935-48). In 1937 the Morris Company became Europe’s largest vehicle manufacturer and by 1939 it was the first British company to produce one million vehicles. In 1938 Morris Motors Ltd merged with the MG Car Company and Riley to form the Nuffield Organisation. Production resumed after World Two (1939-45) with the pre-war Morris 8 and 10. In 1948 the model 8 was replaced by the Morris Minor and the model 10 by the Morris Oxford.

The Morris Six MS was also introduced in 1948. Between 1948 and 1971 three versions of the Morris Minor were produced; the 918 cc MM model (1948-53), the 803 cc Series 2 (1952-56) and the 948 and 1098 cc Morris 1000, of which nearly 850,000 were built (1956-71). In 1961 the one millionth Morris Minor was built, the first British car to achieve this figure. The 1,476 cc Morris Oxford MO model was produced from 1948 to 1954 and nearly 160,000 were built. The 40.5 hp (30 kW) car had a top speed of 72 mph (115 kph). Between 1954 and 1961 four further versions of the Morris Oxford, all with a 1,489 cc engine, were produced.

The Hindustan Ambassador produced in India (1958 and still in production in 2007) was based upon the Oxford lll model. See Part 2, Section 8.9.1 . The final version was the 1,622 cc Oxford Vl (1961-71), of which over 208,000 were built. In 1952 the Nuffield Organisation merged with the Austin Motor Company to become the British Motor Corporation (BMC). In 1968 BMC became part of British Leyland Motor Corporation and then British Leyland in 1975. The “Mini” car was first produced in 1959 and was originally sold by BMC as both the Austin 7 and the Morris Mini-Minor. In North America and France it was called the Austin 850 and Morris 850. The car was first named the “Mini” in 1961. It was the first front wheel drive car in the world with a traverse fitted engine. This two-door car had an 848 cc engine and was only 10 feet (305 cm) long.

It had a top speed of 72 mph (115 kph). The Mini Cooper version was produced in 1964 with a 997 cc engine, which was later increased to 1,275 cc, giving the car a top speed of 98 mph (157 kph). When production of the Mini Cooper ceased in 1971 150,000 had been built. A newer version was introduced in 1990. In 2000, when production of the Mini ended, over 5.3 million had been built. During this time three upgrades had taken place; the Mk ll, the Clubman and the Mk lll, plus an estate version and the Mini Moke. In 2001 BMW produced a newly styled Mini One and Mini Cooper. Other Morris cars produced include the 1100, with over 800,000 built (1962-71), the 1300 (1967), the 1800 (1966-75) and the Marina (1971-80).

The Ital model (1980-84) was the last car to carry the Morris name. 8.7.8. Other British Car Manufacturers AC, Alvis, Argyll, Armstrong Siddley, Bond, Bristol, BSA, Healey, Hillman, Humber, Jenson, Jowett, Lagonda, Lanchester, Lea Francis, Lotus, Metropolitan, Morgan, Napier, Panther, Reliant, Riley, Rover, Singer, Standard, Sunbeam, Triumph, TVR, Vanden Plas, Vanguard, Vauxhall and Wolseley. 8.7.9. British Car Web Sites British Motor Manufacturers Ten of the best cars made in Britain | This is Money comments Britain’s car industry is booming. It is accelerating ahead of Europe towards record production levels, according to new statistics. A report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says that vehicle production is on track to rise by nine per cent each year for the foreseeable future, fuelled by exports to 150 countries.

That will propel car production to pre-recession levels this year and towards a record 2.2million cars by 2016 – this would exceed the record production level of 1.92million cars achieved in 1972. In fact, the motor industry accounts for around 11 per cent of all UK exports. Best of British: The new Jaguar F-Type was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last week and will be built in Britain Although most of the companies that make cars in Britain are foreign-owned, those motors are still built on these shores and the world has a huge appetite for them So what top cars are made in the UK – and what makes them so great? This is Money motoring correspondent Lee Boyce takes a look at some of the best everyday and luxury cars currently being assembled in Britain... Built: Swindon, Wiltshire Owned: Japan Japanese car maker Honda builds the Civic in Swindon. Described as a great-looking small family car which is sturdily built, by WhatCar? magazine, it handles well and the boot is one of the largest in its class. The Civic is also known for its reliability.

According to research by Warranty Direct in May, it came in second place behind the Toyota Corolla as the most reliable family car currently on the market. At the same time, the Honda Jazz – which is also made in Britain – topped a different report by Which? magazine for spending the least time in the repair garage , showing how sturdy Hondas built in Britain are. Incidentally, Honda as a whole is rated the most reliable manufacturer to buy a car from , according to a WhatCar? report from the tail-end of last year. Price: Starts from £16,995. Built: Burnaston, Derbyshire Owned: Japan The Toyota Auris is the fifth most reliable family car, according to Warranty Direct, while the Toyota brand is the second most reliable manufacturer to buy a motor from, according to WhatCar? It is described as having a roomy cabin, with enough space for five people, while it benefits from being well-priced and backed by a five-year warranty. Japanese-owned Toyota also makes the Avensis model in the same factory – and this is rated the second most reliable car by Which?, spending an average of 0.17 days off the road a year. Price: Starts from £12,145.

Built: Sunderland, Tyne & Wear Owned: Japan The Nissan Qashqai, built in Sunderland and launched in 2007, is an extremely popular crossover vehicle on British roads - yesterday, it was revealed by SMMT as the seventh most purchased model . Described as funky and comfortable to drive, the Qashqai is competitively priced for a large vehicle and Auto Trader has also revealed it to be the best used car to buy in its survey for the last two years in a row. It is also ranked as the ninth most reliable family car according to Warranty Direct, while Nissan sneaks in the Which? reliability index in tenth place. The Sunderland plant also makes the Micra and the Note models. Price: Starts from £16,595. Built: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Owned: General Motors - US The Vauxhall Astra has been a staple part of the diet for British drivers for decades and are still as popular as ever, featuring as the fourth most bought car in September in official SMMT figures. WhatCar?

says the Astra looks great inside and out, its cabin is built from high-quality plastics, while it’s brilliant at shutting out road noise and the ride is described as superb. However, Vauxhall, which is owned by US giant General Motors, as a whole doesn’t have a great track record for reliability, featuring in the bottom five manufacturers in the Which? report. Price: Starts from £12,995. Built: Oxford, Oxfordshire Owned: Germany The new generation of Minis have really captured British motorists’ attention. WhatCar? describes the Mini as having a smooth engine, stylish and great fun to drive. The Mini, which is owned by German BMW, also holds its value well. According to Auto Trader research, the Mini holds 64 per cent of its value after three years, second only to the Fiat 500. The manufacturer is mid-way in the WhatCar? reliability league table, finishing 18th out of 35 manufacturers. Price: Starts from £11,870. Built: Hethel, Norfolk Owned: Malaysia WhatCar?

is full of praise for the Lotus Elise, describing it as ‘all you’ll ever want in a sports car: fantastic to drive, with jaw-dropping pace, delicious steering and stunning grip.’ The car is popular with drivers too, featuring in seventh alongside some illustrious company when Auto Trader ran a poll of the dream car motorists would most like to own. Lotus builds the Elise and a range of other models in Norfolk, but is Malaysian-owned. Price: Starts from £28,110. Built: Halewood, Merseyside Owned: India The Evoque has all the desirability of a Range Rover, with a beautiful interior and stylish look on the outside, but at a more affordable price. The bad news is that Land Rover Range Rover is at the bottom of the WhatCar reliability manufacturer index. However, the ‘good’ news is the fact you can now get the ‘special’ edition version, designed by Victoria Beckham. Oh la la. Price: Starts from £28,695. Built: Castle Bromwich, Birmingham Owned: India WhatCar? says the Jaguar XF is a brilliant combination of sporting saloon and luxury limo - it is refined, classy and well equipped.

The XF model has proved popular worldwide, with high demand and it is one of the reasons why the British car industry is currently booming. In July, Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to take on 1,100 new workers, with new models being built in the Birmingham plant. At the same time, Jaguar has been announced as the ‘Number 1 Car Manufacturer’ in the WhatCar? J.D. Power Survey 2012 - and with a reasonable price tag for such a sought after car, it is clear to see why the XF is popular. Price: Starts from £29,940. Built: Solihull, Birmingham Owned: India WhatCar? says the Range Rover has fabulous on-road ride and refinement for such a big car, together with immense capability in the mud. It is also truly luxurious and has a beautifully built cabin. They are expensive to run, but drivers know that when they buy a Range Rover, with prices much higher than its Evoque model and Range Rover Sport little sister. There is also the fact Land Rover finished bottom of the reliability index from WhatCar? - and motorists’ can face potentially high repair bills. Price: Starts from £69,995.

To be built: Castle Bromwich, Birmingham Owned: India Okay, so technically you cannot buy this vehicle and drive it yet, but it is such a beautiful car, we had to mention it in this round-up after it was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last week. It is available from next Spring, with prices starting at £58,500 for the F-Type, rising to £67,500 for the F-Type S and £79,950 for the F-Type V8 S. Carmagazine.co.uk have described the Jaguar F-Type as the most exciting Jag since the legendary E-Type - and demand for the F-Type is expected to be high. Price: Starts from £58,500. And some extras that blow the budget... Aston Martin V8 Vantage Built: Gaydon, Warwickshire Owned: UK-led consortium We couldn't do a round-up of British made cars without the classic Aston Martin brand - who can forget the beautiful DB5 made famous by fictional spy James Bond in the 1970s. WhatCar?

says that the Vantage looks great and handles even better, while the sounds of the V8 and V12 engines will 'stir your soul.' Top Gear magazine perfectly bills it as: ‘Teasingly accessible for an Aston, and a small step up from the dynamically superior but infinitely less cool Porsche 911. The devil on your shoulder says 'go on...' Aston Martin also build the DB9 and DBS models in Gaydon - however, you are looking at least £120,000 for one of these models. Price: Starts from £88,995. Built: Goodwood, West Sussex Owner: Germany Again, we couldn’t do this round-up without tipping our cap to Rolls Royce and some of the magnificent, if somewhat pricey models it builds at its legendary Goodwood factory in West Sussex. The Phantom is a classic, while the Drophead Coupe – a convertible version of the car - is billed as an extraordinary machine. According to WhatCar?, the Phantom is every bit the car that a flagship Rolls should be. It’s sensational to drive and to be in, and is built to the most exacting of standards. A real event.

Price: Starts from £253,125. And one that will really blow the budget… McLaren P1 To be built: Woking, Surrey Owner: Britain The new flagship two-seater McLaren P1 will accelerate from rest to 62mph in under three seconds and the super-lightweight but powerful supercar is being built at McLaren’s state of the art factory in Woking, Surrey with the ambition of being the best road and track car in the world for drivers. It is about the same size as a Porsche 911 but is being seen as the spiritual successor of the legendary three-seater Mclaren F1 supercar of the 1990s – one of which ‘Mr Bean’ star Rowan Atkinson famously pranged. The price-tag? £800,000. You could buy every other car on the list for that, while having spare change for a little Porsche run-around on the side…or about ten Honda Civics. Price: £800,000 HAVE YOUR SAY: Are there any current British made cars that you would add to the list? And what British made cars of the past have given you the most satisfaction? Let us know below...

Sun Sets on British Car Makers - The New York Times The New York Times Automobiles |Sun Sets on British Car Makers Search Sun Sets on British Car Makers By RICHARD FEAST Continue reading the main story WITH the announcement this week that BMW of Germany would buy Rolls-Royce Motor Cars for $571 million, the British auto industry has hawked its last valuable piece of family silver. What remains are some old kitchen utensils and sports equipment. In purely business terms, the sale is not particularly important. The Rolls-Royce unit of Vickers P.L.C., a military supplier, sells fewer than 2,000 Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles a year, a pittance in an industry that produces 36 million cars annually. But here in Britain, the prospect of a foreign takeover of the last major indigenous auto maker, particularly one that is a symbol of national pride and that builds what are probably the world's most prestigious marques, cuts deep. Whether Rolls-Royce is acquired by BMW or by Volkswagen, which has suggested that it may raise its competing bid, a German takeover will leave the British industry essentially foreign-owned.

The remaining independents are a handful of sports car companies -- Caterham, Morgan and TVR, for example -- and a couple of taxi makers. But while there is no longer a British car industry, there is a car industry in Britain. It is a subtle difference that masks a paradox: the country is producing more cars than it has in 20-some years. Foreign ownership is succeeding where the home-grown variety failed. Continue reading the main story The failure had been remarkable. After World War II, British managers presided over the collapse of entire industries, from heavy trucks, buses and motorcycles to machine tools and auto parts. The auto business survived despite what now seems like concerted efforts to kill it -- by managers who insisted on producing poorly designed cars and by militant workers who advanced leftist causes. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In the early 1950's, the British auto industry was second in size only to that of the United States, and Britain was the leading car exporter. It looked so good partly because the auto industries of Germany, France and Japan were still picking their way out of the ruins of war. The deficiencies of British companies were soon exposed, especially after the country joined the European Economic Community in 1973.

British vehicles were once recognized, revered or reviled around the world. Today, their names are a roll-call of the glorious dead. Most were made in sprawling, grimy factories in the English Midlands -- ''the Tin Triangle,'' J. B. Priestley called it. British car output reached a record 1.92 million in 1972; a decade later, it was less than half that much. The once-proud Rootes Group, which had been bought by Chrysler, was sold to Peugeot of France. Four years ago, BMW bought the Rover Group -- only the latest name, after BMC, British Leyland and BL, for a collection of brands that dominated the industry in the postwar years. Ford now owns two quintessentially British companies, Jaguar and Aston Martin. Lotus was bought by General Motors, then by an Italian entrepreneur; it is now Malaysian. While British auto makers withered, extensive auto operations were created in Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Spain. Ultimately, the British industry's salvation came as a result of decisions made halfway around the world. Japanese auto makers selected Britain for their first ''transplant'' operations in Europe.

These modern, efficient plants proved the catalyst for fundamental changes at Ford and Vauxhall, the local subsidiary of General Motors. By the early 1980's, Ford and Vauxhall were running at idle. Vauxhall lost its in-house engineering responsibilities to Adam Opel, its sister company in Germany. Ford, the market leader, imported as many cars into Britain as it made here. Neither company exported cars, even to the rest of Europe. The arrival of the Japanese changed that. Britain was a surprising choice, given its history of bitter strikes, shoddy quality and low productivity. But the market reforms of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had transformed the nation, causing tremendous social pain but making the economy much more competitive. Industrial disputes are no longer an issue, and British factories run by Nissan, Toyota and Honda are among the most productive and quality-conscious in Europe. ''The Japanese were like an M.B.A. program for the Europeans,'' said Garel Rhys, professor of motor industry economics at the Cardiff Business School in Wales. There was another unexpected result. The upheaval created a pool of engineering talent that was harnessed by design and development contractors.

Companies like Cosworth, Ricardo, Lotus, Mayflower and TWR work on secret contracts for the world's major auto makers. Daewoo of South Korea established its European technical center in southern England. At the same time, Britain evolved as the center of a specialized industry: the design and manufacture of Formula One and Indy-car racers, through companies like Lola, McLaren, Penske, Reynard and Williams.

Question: Which British car maker made the Senator
Answer: Vauxhall